Gujarat: Patidar group hands over ‘proof’ of more than 49% quota to govt

Meanwhile, in an official release, the Deputy CM said, “They have given verdicts of various courts and reports of different commissions. In that connection, the state government will get legal guidance following which further action will be taken.” Nitin Patel also said that similar meetings will be held with other Patidar groups like Sardar Patel Group (SPG), which is being led by Lalji Patel of Mehsana, to resolve the Patidar quota agitation.

PAAS convener from Surat Alpesh Katheriya, who is part of the 11-member team selected by Hardik Patel to negotiate with the state government, was not allowed to enter New Secretariat complex by security officials. Katheriya is an accused in a sedition case registered with Surat police during the Patidar agitation. On Katheriya, PAAS co-convener Dinesh Bambhaniya said, “He was denied entry by security staff at the gate. We went ahead without him for the meeting after discussion since it was only to handover documentary evidence to the state government and no material discussion was to take place. For upcoming meeting, Alpesh Katheriya will be part of the negotiating team.”

Following a formal invitation from Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, 11 Patidar youths representing PAAS and its leader Hardik Patel are holding negotiations with a three-member panel of the Gujarat government led by Nitin Patel. The two other members of the government panel are Ministers of State Pradeepsinh Jadeja and Nanu Vanani. On Thursday, Jadeja and Vanani were not present in Thursday’s meeting.

First meeting between PAAS conveners and the Gujarat government panel was held on December 1. And Katheriya was part of that meeting. PAAS has put four demands before the government — financial help and government jobs for the dependents of 14 Patidars who died during the Patidar reservation agitation, action against persons responsible for police atrocity on the Patidars during the agitation, formation of a Patidar commission and constitutional reservation for the community.